Stories That Help Us Remember Juneteenth


Juneteenth remembers June 19, 1865, the day when the last enslaved people in the U.S. learned they were free. Although President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it wasn’t until two years later that Union Army General Gordon Granger shared the news in Texas, the final state to hear it. Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day or Emancipation Day, and it remains a powerful symbol of freedom and celebration in the Black community.

At San Mateo County Libraries, we believe everyone deserves free access to books, ideas and information. Juneteenth reminds us why learning and sharing history matters. That’s why we’re sharing book recommendations for all ages, highlighting Black voices, history and joy. These stories help us learn, grow and better understand one another.

Stories That Help Us Remember Juneteenth

Juneteenth 

They Built Me for Freedom

Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free

A Sitting in St. James

Black Was the Ink 

The Deep Blue Between

The Warmth of Other Suns

Four Hundred Souls

On Juneteenth  

The Underground Railroad

Juneteenth Library Closures

As a reminder, all San Mateo County Libraries and Customer Care will be closed on Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth. We are always open at smcl.org